Daniel Caines runs World’s fastest time at 400 metres to stake World title claim
Chris Turner for IAAF
28 January 2001 - Birmingham - Daniel Caines of Birchfield Harriers, the local Birmingham club, retained his AAA's men's 400 metres title running the fastest 400 metres time in the World this year, albeit at this very early stage of the indoor season.
Caines won in 45.75 seconds and as the champion automatically booked his place in the GB team for the World Championships in Lisbon. However, he was pushed all the way by Mark Hylton who was second in 46.24 secs, with Matt Elias also under 47 seconds in third with 46.91 secs.
"The race went as planned which was to get to the bell in front as I knew that Mark Hylton would be at my shoulder. Coming into these championships I knew I could win and with my performances over the last two days, I now know that I can go into the World Indoor Championships and be a contender" commented Caines.
The British selectors now face the problem of who to select for the second team place at 400 metres as there is also reigning World Champion Jamie Baulch who was running 200 metres this weekend (4th 21.26 secs), to consider alongside the improving Hylton. A further question mark is also raised as today's winner of the men's 200 metres Allyn Condon (20.60 secs) has also expressed an interest in contesting a World 400 metres team spot!
The star of the women's programme was the outstanding Catherine Murphy who today completed a unique 200m / 400m sprint double at these championships. Murphy also continued her record breaking form of yesterday by setting a Welsh record in the semi-final stage of the 200 metres with 23.36 seconds and further improved this time in the final, winning in 23.35 seconds. Olympic 400 metres 4th placer Donna Fraser pulled out before the start of the final due to recurrence of a flu bug that she had suffered during Christmas.
"I trained so hard in Australia during the Olympics (as part of the GB relay squad) but never got to run and so I started (after only three weeks rest) my preparation for the indoor season at a very high level of fitness, which probably accounts for my fast runs here this weekend," confirmed Murphy.
Kelly Holmes completed her first AAA's indoor championship with a confident win having followed the early pace of yesterday's surprise package Jo Fenn who again ran superbly in today's final. Holmes took the lead at about 500 metres and was never headed winning in 2:05.26 minutes, with Fenn second in 2:06.02mins. Holmes who has battled so hard with injuries was obviously just pleased to still be in one piece physically and was obviously enjoying her running and was not concerned about the time.
"I've got to be pleased, I'm not in full training by any means. I have come out here to enjoy myself. My aim today was just to win it, and I could have run it any way I liked" said a contented Holmes.
Among the other finals on the final day, the men's 800 metres was won by Eddie King (1:49.98mins) in a tight finish from Olympian Andy Hart (1:50.10) and Neil Speaight (1:50.19). There was also an encouraging win for Dominic Bradley (7.84 seconds) in the men's 60m hurdles ahead of Dominic Girdler (2nd 7.94secs) and European junior champion Chris Ballie, third on 7.94 seconds as well. Melanie Wilkins took the women's sprint hurdles in 8.20 seconds, a personal best time.
Once again the field events lacked any real lustre with the exception that the women's shot which was won by Holland's Olympic ninth place finalist Lieja Koeman who dominated the competition by a little under two metres winning with 17.26 metres. In the men's high jump Samson-Dayo Oni won with a new 2.20m personal best. In the women's pole vault, British record holder Janine Whitlock jumped 4.05m for an easy if less than confident victory. However, it was not the other competitors with which Whitlock had to battle (second place was Clare Ridgley on 3.50m) but rather her own technique, as she had a first time failure at her opening height of 3.85m and then three failures at 4.15m.
